Description

The Way We Eat, Jobs, and Substance Abuse are the three priorities established through public surveys and research data (community health assessment) that citizens of the county are now given 5 years to improve through the CHIP - the Community Health Improvement Plan just launched.

Cochise County Health and Social Services, the health department, began work on the project years ago with a series of public meetings and workshops following the assessment period. The process is expected to involve business leaders, elected officials, bureaucrats, non-profits, educators, medical establishments and hundreds, if not thousands, of private citizens in reaching goals that could make Cochise County one of the healthiest places in America. It is an opportunity to stand out as one of the better places in the U.S. to live a healthy life.

Indeed, an extraordinary focus on being healthy as a community is seen as good economic strategy that could result in growth in the local economy's medical sector, and attract people who are like-minded in their attitudes towards living a healthy lifestyle.

A press conference was held recently with some of the participants in setting up CHIP and making it ready for widespread public participation in its implementation.